Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1887-12-12
THE FORESTS OF GUATEMALA.
Mr. Miles Rock Tells of the Wonder.
fu1 Central American Wilderness.

Professor Miles Rock, OF the Guatemala Boun-
dairy survey, gave the first In the course OF lee
lures under the auspices OF the Amateur Botanical
club, at the National Museum, Saturday evening.
Professor Foster, OF Howard University, president
OF the club In introducing the speaker gave brief
history of botanical organizations in the city, from
the first society," which died In 1925, to the organi-
zatiOn OF the botanical branch OF the Biological
Society last week. The Amateur Club, now less
than year old, has been one Of the means In the
revival or botanical interest. The ladies of the
club, 70 whom much OF its success Is due, acted as
ushers for the evening.
In Guatemala, the lecturer OF the evening said
there are three characteristic belts of climate and
plant-growth; first, from sea-level to 5000 feet,
comprising "A 900 square miles, or over onehalf OF
the entire republic, including the Pacific, Cirib-
bean, and Gulf plains and the lower valleys OF the
principal rivers. This zone Is called the stierra
cndeJtte.' The second zone Is called the TERRA
teMptddd." and may be limited TO the elevations
Of the Inhabited regions as the interior volcanic
ash plains on which most OF the cities are found
and agriculture fiourishes, and also the lower
mountain slopes and table lands. This zone COM
pflses about IL, 600 square miles, or one-third Of
the country. The third zone comprises the parts
OF the country that rise above 5000 feet. about
one-tenth or the whole area, or 600 square miles
and Is called the "teYru fra" and has cold tenn
perate TO cold climate In at least two table lands
III rises 10 1000 feet and over, and the highest
ridges oyertop them by rising to r. 900 feet Loom.
Ing above all some six volcanic cones shoot up
their apexes TO the clouds at 1900 to 14OOO feet
AT these highest elevations nightly frosts occur
the whole year, and at the lower limit Of 1000 feet
only during the dry and clear season. but frosts
OCCASIONALLY occur too near the lower limit OF the
temperate belt, or 1000 feet where fields OF sugar.
cane are sometimes destroyed, and at 5000 feet
coffee plantations are ruined. Pine, spruce, cedar
ana so-caied box-tree forests prevail on the vol
cano slopes, the higher mountains and their steep
ravines- Below 5000 feet there is still pine and
nuch oak, with many species OF angiosperInous
hlp ala I'M
situations many tree ferns, and a palm much
valued for making hats and a palm Wrapping
CLOTH AL 10000 feet elevation only occurs a re-
markaole tree belonging to the order composito
IL records the 10000 feet contour line with close
approximation, like barometer.
aoyeys "hrtve th mtdSia tne SURFACE 40 Wd
are fragnentary because so much or the surface is
Inhabited and cultivated. In the cold belt large
pastures, az 5000 feet, wheat aud potatoes are
grown, and Indian corn, on which the Inhabitants
mostly live, Is grown from 5000 feet to a-level
Potatoes and wheat are not grown below 1000 to
5000 feet The northern slopes facing the Gulf
are almost an unknown wilderness at all but the
highest attitudes These woods are often dificult
10 penetrate, and at times so matted with under
brush That one does well to progress . miles
day, and sometimes best by creeping
underneatn on ali foars; In the hot belt
where fields are Kept clear by much effort the
thick growth on the unused ground hides them
from general view, while houses ana even villages
large tree has wood 50 soft but elastic that an
axe sinks into IL at one blow ana can hardly be
drawn out again. Another has wood so hard that
II turns or breaks the axes edge, aud Is felled Dy
building IRE around IL.
The second cause for diversity In the flora Of
Guatemala Is the combined influence OF the Dois-
ture-laden trade winds blowing from the Caribbean
Sea, and the high mountains OF Cuileo Cuchuna-
lanes cnaina aud Hlnas- The third cause affect
lng the character OF the Guatemala forests is due
10 The operations OF the ancient Inhabitants, who
cleared nearly or quite all the ground that Is cu-
ttyated or pastured TO this day. and much more be-
sides that has become oyergrown again with
Forest But the new forests are not the ancient
ones renewed The old ones are in many in
stances replaced by pine forests. Again, owing TO
local conditions the forests have failed TO
On fields abandoned for centuries In the Peten
the so-called savanas are extensive omen tracIs
once inhabited and cultivated These sayanas
snow numerous ancient remains, and these a, well
as the pine forests deserve 10 be thoroughly ex-
aInlned Dy psychologists Much might be learned
10 shed light on tn, studies already made on the
more modern ruined cities and scuptured temples
OF Central America.